Plano fire captain reunites with first responders who saved him

PLANO, Texas -- Some connections are hard to break, even a year later. Captain Mark Hardy of Plano Fire hadn't met everyone responsible for saving his life in August of 2016.

On Tuesday, that changed when members of CareFlite, Howe and Van Alstyne First Responders came to the firehouse in Plano.

"There's no words that someone can say to say how I feel about that," he said.

The 32-year veteran of the Plano Fire Department was riding his motorcycle in Howe, Texas. Police say he was behind a truck and loose items were spilling out the back. Police say an object struck Hardy, forcing to crash into the median wall.

"When I was arriving, Mr. Hardy was just sliding to a stop," said Micheal Hill, Interim Chief of the Howe Police Department.

But as fate would have it, WFAA learned Mark had taught EMS to some of the first responders who saved him.

"If any hands had to show up and take care of me, I'm glad it was at least somebody that I was responsible for teaching skills," Hardy said.

Hardy has undergone reconstruction surgery to his face and to his shoulders. The damage really was to his brain. He says he had three brain bleeds and severe brain trauma.

"My initial thought was that this was going to be another fatal crash," said Hill.

When Sgt. Michael Hill of Howe Police saw him, Mark was face down and unresponsive. Hill credits the first response team and the helmet Hardy wore that day.

After several months of rehab, Hardy is back at work. The only thing that will change is that he will no longer be with the Wild Land Response Team.

"Everything has come full circle. There's not a better story out there than that," said Hill.

Mark says he will not get on another motorcycle again, and he is fine with that.

"I have lots of things I would like to do before my life's over, so riding motorcycles is not one of them now," he said.